The Difficult Kind
by Imogen Writes
Summary: Slash. HydeEric. Eric leaves and comes back. I forgot to list the songs and artist these chapters are inspired by in the first 4 chapters. All are country songs. Sorry about that.
1. Chapter 1

Leave the pieces

You're not sure that you love me  
But you're not sure enough to let me go  
Baby it ain't fair you know  
To just keep me hangin' 'round

"You're really leavin, forman?" Hyde looked over his sunglasses trying to figure out what Eric was really thinking. The basement was empty except for Eric and himself. Normally they would be sitting together on the old couch but for some reason that just didn't seem right anymore.

He was the last person to know that Eric was going to Africa. He should of been the first one. Somehow things were just getting more and more messed up. How had they gotten to this place. How is it that his best friend in the whole world had delibertly planned this whole move without mentioning it once.

You say you don't wanna hurt me  
Don't wanna to see my tears  
So why are you still standing here  
Just watching me drown

How was it that Eric Forman could explain his way out of this one? He could of mentioned it anytime. Who was the one that was always there for him and understood. Who was the one that picked up the pieces when Donna left him for college and the wild frat guys?

They had been getting so close. It was bordering on a relationship which he was sure Eric was not ready for and was probably why he decided to move to another freakin' country but Hyde was going to make him say it before he left. He was not going to let Eric leave without knowing the real reason for this spur of the moment change of plans.

And it's alright, yeah I'll be fine  
Don't worry 'bout this heart of mine  
Just take your love and hit the road  
There's nothing you can do or say  
You're gonna break my heart anyway  
So just leave the pieces when you go

"Hyde, it has to be this way." Eric refused to look at anything but the floor. If he looked at Hyde, he probably wouldn't of gone through with it. He knew that Kitty and Red would never understand. He knew that in this world, at this point in time, no one was going to understand. Same sex relationships were not done. He frowned. He could of killed Donna for telling Hyde. It would of been just easier for everyone if Hyde went to work and came home to find the letter from Eric. Life never was easy for Eric Forman or Steven Hyde though. "I can't do this. I'm leaving for the airport in a few minutes and I would rather not have this conversation at all." Eric pulled out the letter he had wrote Hyde and threw it in Hyde's lap and then walked out of the basement. Eric shut the basement door leaning on it to see if Hyde would come after him. Part of him wanted him to but the other part knew that if he did, he wouldn't leave. More than anything he did not want the last thing Hyde said to him to be "your really leaving Forman?" but maybe that was for the best. The letter was Eric's way of saying what needed to be said. It was the best he could do. Hyde was a man of few words, he would just have to understand besides it took Eric a week to write that letter and it said everything he couldn't. Now Eric just wished he had given Hyde a chance to say something back.

Hyde didn't follow him so Eric grabbed his bag and left the house. Africa was the only solution he kept telling himself.

Now you can drag out the heartache  
Baby you can make it quick  
Really get it over with  
And just let me move on  
Don't concern yourself  
With this mess you've left for me  
I can clean it up, you see  
Just as long as you're gone

Hyde stared at the letter for what seemed like forever before getting up and putting it in his room. He couldn't read it. There was no point. It was all said and done. The entire friendship they had was over as far as he was concerned. He was not about to let himself get hurt over this. He wrote it off as if he didn't care and called Jackie. Jackie was sure to take his mind off of what could of been.


	2. No Place That Far

No Place That Far

It wouldnt matter why were apart,  
Lonely minds or two stubborn hearts  
Nothing short of God above  
Could turn me away from your love  
I need you that much

_Dear Hyde  
Oh my god, that sounds so incredibly stupid. How lame can I get? Well after erasing so much I'm afraid the paper is going to be so thin that it won't hold up and I will still be starting this with Dear Hyde.  
I guess I am really putting off what the reason for this letter because I don't really know how I can face you or anyone else in the morning after crying all night like a little girl. I don't want to leave you. I really hate the whole idea of living in a strange place without anyone I know or love there. You included but it is the way it has to be.  
I know where we are going from here. I can see the road we are headed down and I love you to much to put you threw it. Stop rolling your eyes and calling me a drama queen or a girl. It's the truth and you know it. No one will accept us. Maybe in the future yeah but not now. My family is the only family you have known. I can't take that away from you. I really don't want to lose them myself either but there is no way Red is going to be okay with this?  
I know you. You are sitting there getting even more pissed at me for chickening out and wanting to scream "fuck them all." We need them. We need our friend and family. Distance isn't going to change the way I feel about you and maybe by the time I come back things will be different. Maybe you will have moved on and got married and have kids. I want you to be happy Steven. I want you to find the one person who can make you forget all the hate and hurt in the world. I'm not that person because if we were to stay together it make the hate and hurt even worse. We would have each other but nothing else. _

_I can't imagine any greater fear than waking up without you here. Though the sun would still shine on. My whole world would be gone. But not for long. If I had to run, if i had to crawl, if i had to swim a hundred rivers just to climb a thousand walls, always know I would find a way to get to where you are. There's no place that far. It wouldnt matter why were apart, Lonely minds or two stubborn hearts, Nothing short of God above, Could turn me away from your love, I need you that much.  
I love you and that's why I am going to Africa.  
Eric_

_Author's note: The last paragraph of the letter is the lyrics to Sara Evan's song, No place that far. It's not mine. Thank you. enjoy reading._


	3. Like we never loved at all

**Like we never loved at all**

You never looked so good  
as you did last night,  
underneath the city lights,  
there walking with your friend,  
laughing at the moon.  
I swear you looked right through me.  
But I'm still living with your goodbye,  
and you're just going on with your life.

Eric stood on the front porch debating on if he was going knock on the door to his parents house. It really was his own house too. He had been gone so long he didn't know for sure what to do. Finally he sat down in the lawn chair in the corner trying to give himself courage to go inside. It wasn't the protocol of what to do when returning to your parents house after 10 years, it was how he left and who he left. He didn't know if he could face it. At first, his mom had wrote to him all the time, mentioning the whole gang and then she eventually stopped writing about his friends and just wrote about her day and about Red and Laurie. Sometimes he wanted to ask how everyone was but he didn't know if he could handle all the changes. Life moves on even if you are not there.

Donna had mentioned what everyone was doing now in her letters. Well not everyone. Eric had a feeling she stopped mentioning Hyde on purpose. She had stopped mentioning Hyde about the same time that Jackie and Kelso's wedding was announced. He knew the little details. Jackie and Hyde had gotten back together and then they broke up. The normal stupid stuff. Kelso had married Brooke and they had a child but that ended soon after the baby was born. Jackie and Hyde broke up after he cheated on her with a stripper. All Donna had said about the stripper was that she didn't like her and was glad Jackie had moved on. Fez was living in Madison with Donna. He had turned out to be her roommate for years, and ran one of the best salons. He was always bugging Donna to get her hair styled and do various things to it. Donna being Donna would never give in. She had also mentioned her suspicions that Fez was gay. She didn't really specify all the things that made her think that but she was pretty sure she had said.

He knew that his mom had planned a big get together for his welcoming home party and he knew that she had invited everyone. However Eric didn't know if she had invited _EVERYONE_. Hell he didn't even know where Hyde lived at the moment. Last he had heared, Hyde was still living in his parents basement but who knows. Ten years was a long time.

He turned around when he heard a giggle. It was Jackie and Kelso walking up the driveway. Clinging to each other. It made him smile. Somethings had not changed. He started to get up to say hi when he heard someone cough behind them.

"Hyde, you really should stop smoking." Jackie ordered in that loving tone that Eric missed so much. Only being gone 10 years would make Eric miss Satan.

"Jackie, you really should stop ordering me around and focus on your HUSBAND." Hyde grumbled.

"Thanks, man. Like I really need more lectures" Kelso whined.

"She is YOUR wife" Hyde replied walking past them. Kelso and Jackie stopped when they saw Eric standing there on the porching watching them. Hyde just kept walking as if nothing was strange at all. "Forman." Hyde said to him as he walked into the house.

Eric watched him go in the house and not even look back. His heart broke. Hyde barely acknowledge him. He didn't even shake his hand or give him a second glance. Maybe coming home wasn't a good idea. He didn't have much time to think about it because Jackie and Kelso were hugging him and talking a mile a minute about anything and everything they could think of. Eric stood there in a daze trying to listen and be interested but all he could think of was Hyde.

How can you just walk on by  
without one tear in your eye?  
Don't you have the slightest feelings left for me?  
Maybe that's just your way  
of dealing with the pain,  
forgetting everything   
between our rise and fall  
like we never loved at all.

The whole gang was back down in the basement. Kitty had made a wonderful dinner. Everyone ate so much and tried to catch him up. Everyone but Hyde who threw in little comments every once in a while but just sat there disaproving as always. He took shots at Jackie and Kelso but never really even looked at Eric. And now here they were in the basement after all this time sitting around, drinking beer and talking about nothing really at all.

Fez was trying to explain the newest conditioner and why Jackie should switch. Donna was beating the crap out of Kelso for trying to cop a feel while Jackie wasn't paying attention. They both knew he was only joking but Donna still like being the toughest person in the room besides Hyde.

And Hyde was sitting in his favorite chair staring blankly at the tv that was not even on. He had a grin on his face after watching Donna throw Kelso to the ground. He didn't even really acknowledge Eric's presence once again. He looked good. Half of Eric expected him to be pining over him, drunk all the time, so far gone on drugs that he wouldn't be able to even focus and Eric would come in and save the day. The other half hoped that Hyde was happy and doing well. He hoped Hyde had moved on and would be married and have a great job. Well, Eric knew physically he looked fine but still had no idea what was going on with Hyde's life and it looked like it was going to stay that way.

The gang all went home. Fez was staying with Kelso and Jackie this weekend while Donna was at her dad's. Eric didn't know what to say. He had to much to say to Hyde, he didn't know where to start. They were the only ones in the basement and this was really the only time in the near future Eric thought he would have alone time with Hyde. There had to be something to start off with.

"So." Eric started.

"So." Hyde stared at the TV.

"How are you?" Eric felt so uncomfortable almost like he didn't have the right to know.

"Tired." Hyde rolled his eyes as he took off his sunglasses. "I'm going to bed." He left the room leaving Eric to sit there by himself.

You, I hear you're doing fine.  
Seems like you're doing well  
as far as I can tell.  
Time is leaving us behind,  
(time – leaving us behind)  
another week has passed  
and still I haven't laughed yet.  
So tell me, what your secret is  
(I wanna know, I wanna know, I wanna know)  
to letting go, letting go like you did,  
like you did.

Eric fell asleep on the couch in the basement. He had woke up once during the night and thought about knocking on Hyde's door but obviously Hyde didn't really care if he was back or not so he just rolled over and went back to sleep. The next morning, Kitty woke him up with french toast and orange juice. He watched her knock on Hyde's door and tell him to come out and eat some breakfast. As always Hyde did as he was told. Kitty didn't stay there and eat with them. As soon as she saw them start eatting she went back upstairs.

"Is there a reason why you slept out here instead of upstairs in your bed?" Hyde barked.

"Fell asleep." Eric mumbled in between bites. He had forgotten how uncomfortable the old couch was.

"Idiot." Hyde grumbled before stuffing more food in his mouth.

"I had alot on my mind." Eric whined.

"And now you have alot of aches and pains." Hyde said as he picked up his plate and took it upstairs.

Eric watched him go trying to remember what exactly had posessed him to think that if he came back things just might go back to being the same as they were before he left. There was a reason he left. The feelings he had back then had not gone away for him but he was sure that it had for Hyde. He had done what he wanted to. Things were working out for the best even if his best friend wouldn't even look at him. It didn't stop the hurt though. It hurt like hell and he wondered if the entire 4 years of high school had happened.

Did you forget the magic?  
Did you forget the passion?  
Oh, and did you ever miss me,  
and long to kiss me?  
Oh baby, baby.

When Hyde knew that Eric was no longer in the basement he went back down to his room. He dug threw a box under his bed trying to find the piece of paper he had thrown in there after Eric had left. He had read it a million times but for some reason this morning he needed to read it again. It would give him the strength to keep up the walls he was placing between him and Eric. Eric had said in the letter he wanted him to be happy and for things to be better for Hyde. He had mentioned moving on and that is exactly what Hyde was trying to make Eric believe. He hadn't moved on but he could sure make Eric believe he had. Ignoring Eric was easier than he thought it would be. He could be stone cold to his face and hide behind the sunglasses. He just needed a reinforcer. And that letter was exactly what would add fuel to the fire.

Eric hadn't woke up last night when Hyde covered him up with a blanket. He sat there watching Eric sleep thinking maybe he shouldn't give him what he had said he wanted. Maybe he should just cave in and admit that nothing had changed but something inside of him just got angrier as he looked at Eric. What gave Eric the right to decide the rest of Hyde's future? Why did he think he could take it all into his hands and not give Hyde the chance to decide for himself.

Maybe that's just your way  
of dealing with the pain,  
forgetting everything  
between our rise and fall  
like we never loved at all.


	4. The Lucky One

The Lucky One

You're the lucky one always havin fun  
A jack of all trades a master of none  
You look at the world with a smiling eye  
And laugh at the devil as his train rolls by  
Just give you a song and a one-night stand  
And you'll be looking at a happy man  
Cause you're the lucky one

By the time Eric got home that night, he was tired. He had spent all day with Donna hanging out and going to the old places they used to hang out. Jackie and Kelso had met up with them for lunch and from there they went shopping at Jackie's speed. His feet hadn't hurt this bad the entire time he was in Africa. Leave it to Jackie and Donna to wear him out faster than anything else in the world. All he wanted to do was kick back, watch a little TV and go to sleep. Hyde was ignoring him so he wouldn't bother him. Kitty and Red had went to some work dinner Red's boss was giving. He could have the entire house to himself. He smiled at the the thought as he grabbed a bag of chips and headed down to the basement.

He heard music coming from Hyde's room. It almost sounded like Aerosmith. He knew Hyde well enough to know if he was playing that type of music he was either doing one of two things or both really. Getting high or he had a girl in there with him.

Eric knew he should go back upstairs and just watch tv in the livingroom but instead he sat on the top step waiting for whatever was in that room to stop. He wanted to go down there and get high with Hyde but somewhere deep down he knew that it was a bad idea for him to walk in on something. When was the last time they had smoked together? Was it just the two of them or was the whole gang there?

His thoughts were interupted by the door opening and a small blond about Jackie's size walking out of Hyde's room smiling. The smoke filled the air and it was hard for Eric to not cough. He hadn't been around it in so long if he did take a hit he didn't know if he could stand it or not. The girl left. and Hyde was starting up the stairs when he saw Eric sitting there.

Hyde stared at Eric for a minute knowing what Eric thought was going on in Hyde's room. It wasn't. That just happened to be his baby sister but Eric hadn't met her. He hadn't thought about that until he saw the disbelief in Eric's eyes. Maybe that little known fact didn't have to come out just yet. He could really make Eric believe he was over him even more if he thought she was just some random chick he had picked up and had sex with. They got drunk, got high and then had sex. Yeah that was a believable story unfortunately he couldn't help but feel guilty about lying. He wasn't really lying though. Eric wouldn't ask and he wouldn't explain. It was as easy as that.


	5. Better than me

**Better Than Me**

I think you can do much better than me  
After all the lies that I made you believe  
Guilt kicks in and I start to see  
The edge of the bed  
Where your nightgown used to be  
I told myself I won't miss you  
But I remember  
What it feels like beside you  
I really miss your hair in my face  
And the way your innocence tastes  
And I think you should know this  
You deserve much better than me

Hyde stood at the bottom of the stairway for a minute looking at Eric and then without a word he turned and walked out the back door. He got in his car and drove away. The guilt was going to get to him faster than Eric being mad at him. The hurt in his eyes was so strong. Hyde didn't know that after 10 years that look could still get to him. This was getting to be to much.

He pulled into an abandoned parking lot and lit a cigarette. Hopefully if he stayed out long enough Eric would be asleep and he wouldn't have to face him. It had been to long. He didn't want to go through this again. He didn't want to miss him but he would be lying if he said he didn't. Eric Forman was hard to get over.

He knew that Eric was coming. He had prepared himself for the homecoming party that Kitty was planning. He was going to go on a road trip and miss the entire event but she wouldn't let him. She was convinced that all of them had to be there. So he mentally prepared himself. He didn't care. He wasn't excited to see him. He wasn't mad anymore. He wasn't anything besides closed off. But that didn't work. The moment he saw him all of that was a lie. He thought he pulled it off pretty well hiding it but inside it was tearing him up. He wanted to punch him and hug him at the same time. No one should ever create that much emotion in him. EVER.

The cigarette was not cutting it. He needed something to take the edge off. He pulled out a small baggy. The perfect solution to any problem. Get high. It isn't as much fun alone though. He put it back in the glove box and started the car.

While looking through your old box of notes  
I found those pictures I took  
That you were looking for  
If there's one memory I don't want to lose  
That time at the mall  
You and me in the dressing room  
I told myself I won't miss you  
But I remember  
What it feels like beside you  
I really miss your hair in my face  
And the way your innocence tastes  
And I think you should know this  
You deserve much better than me

He couldn't find Kelso or Jackie. Donna and Fez were on their way back to Madison. There was no way he was going to go upstairs and get Eric. He'd rather find Laurie than have to deal with his current problems sober.

He went to his room and found the letter again. He re-read it and grabbed the box he had stored everything in. There were pictures in there of everyone. The picture he loved the most was the one of the whole gang on graduation day. The way that Eric looked at him with admiration and love. It still got to him. He was surprised that he graduated. Everyone was. But if Kelso could do it so could he.

He shook his head and threw the letter in the box as he did he heard a cough. He looked up and saw Eric standing there watching him.

**Authors note: **_The lyrics in this songfic is from the song Better than me by Hinder. I am obsessed with Hinder at the moment so expect probably a few more from them._


	6. Get Stoned

Get Stoned

You wear me out  
But it's all right now  
Lets go home and get stoned  
We could end up makin love instead of misery  
Go home and get stoned  
Cause the sex is so much better when you're mad at me  
You wear me out (We could end up making love instead of misery)  
But it's all right now

"What's going on?" Eric asked.

"Don't you knock?" Hyde glared.

"Since when do I have to knock?" Eric frowned.

"It's been 10 years since we hung out. Sometimes privacy is nice."

"Hyde, we live with my parents. Have you ever seen Red respect privacy?" Eric laughed at the thought.

"Red is different. You'd be pissed if Laurie just walked in."

"Laurie always just walks in." Eric shrugged walking over to the cot where Hyde was sitting.

"And you hate her." Hyde stood up staring Eric in the eye.

"You hate me?" Eric challenged.

"There are a lot of things I hate, I don't have time to list them all." Hyde stepped to the side to walk around Eric. Eric stepped in his path.

"Do you hate me?" Eric repeated.

"Forman, I really need a smoke." Hyde tried once again to step around him.

"You don't smoke alone." Eric knew him to well.

"Things change." Hyde pushed him out of the way.

"If you were going to smoke alone, then you would of gotten high in your car instead of coming back here, hoping that there was anyone to sit in the circle with you. You haven't changed that much. You just want me to think you have." Eric sighed.

"What if I hated you?" Hyde challenged. He hated that Eric still knew him so well.

"Then you wouldn't be standing here talking to me. You wouldn't give me the time of day. You would have ignored me from the second you heard me cough."

"Then why did you ask if you think you know everything." Hyde stood with his back to Eric clenching his fists.

"I don't know everything but like it or not I do know you." Eric patted Hyde's shoulder as he grabbed the bag of weed lying on the dresser. He walked out the little room's door and headed for the couch.

"God Dammit." Hyde muttered as he followed.

an hour later

Cough cough

"hyde." Cough "you have no idea how much I missed this!" Eric laughed.

"Getting drunk or getting high." Hyde asked bewildered.

"Both. And hanging out with you." Eric paused. "Like we all used to. I had no one to just sit around and hang out with. Be stupid with. This was the life. Why did I ever leave?"

"I have no idea." Hyde shrugged looking at the floor.

"People weren't ready for us." Eric said as he opened another beer.

"Us?" Hyde pretended he had no idea what Eric was talking about.

"You know what I mean." Eric rolled his eyes.

"Forman, there was no us. We were friends. That's it. Nothing wrong with that."

"There was more." Eric got a funny look in his eyes.

"Whatever man." Hyde shrugged. "So can you believe Jackie married Kelso?"

"Don't change the subject." Eric demanded.

"Either we talk about something else or I am out of here." Hyde raised an eyebrow.

"Right. Jackie and Kelso. I can't believe he hasn't cheated on her." Eric shook his head.

"He has." Hyde laughed.

"Figures." Eric yawned. "I think I'm gonna go to bed."

"Later Forman." Hyde said watching Eric go upstairs.

Life was easier for Hyde if they didn't discuss anything that Eric had imagined in his head. If there was something more between them then why did Eric leave? There never was and never would be. Life was simple. Getting stoned was a bad idea because more than anything in the world Hyde wanted to stop Eric from going upstairs. He wanted him to stay down here. There was room for two on his cot and they both knew ways to block the door so that Red wouldn't walk in on them.

**Authors Note: **_ Lyrics in this songfic are from Get Stoned by Hinder. As I said I am currently obsessed. Thanks for reading. More to come soon. I'm back on the Eric/Hyde kick. Imogen_


	7. He hates me

He hates me

Met a girl, thought she was grand  
fell in love, found out first hand  
went well for a week or two  
then it all came unglued

in a trapped trip I can't grip  
never thought I'd be the one who'd slip  
then I started to realize  
I was living one big lie

Eric lied. He wasn't tired. He was tired of trying to pretend that nothing happened. He was tired of trying to be the only one reliving the past. He knew at least a little part of Hyde was too. There is no way he would of found him reading the letter Eric had wrote right before he left and looking at pictures. He knew there was something there. He didn't understand though if it was still there. He didn't know what had been going on in Hyde's life. He needed to understand everything. Something's had changed though. He was not going to sit and pretend life was wonderful. He was not going to be that person anymore. Hyde wanted to pretend that was fine but he wasn't going to anymore. A week was long enough, either they talked about it or they avoided each other. That was the only option Eric could come up with.

Instead of going to bed, he called Donna. If anyone was going to understand, she would. She understood everything. She knew everything also. She knew stuff that he had told her and she had suspicions of other stuff. Donna was funny that way.

"Eric, it's 1am. What do you want? I need my beauty sleep." Fez whined when he answered the phone.

"I need to talk to Donna." Eric rolled his eyes as if Fez could see him.

"Eric, she needs her beauty sleep more than I do. I am beautiful…" Eric heard Donna asking who was on the phone in the background. "It's for you but really it is to late. You should be in bed." He heard her smack Fez and pick up the phone.

"If you get a call that they found the body of a very attractive, gay male who was brutually murdered in Madison, tell them you have no idea who they would be referring to okay?" Donna laughed into the phone. Eric shook his head. "So what's up stick boy."

"I need answers." Eric sighed.

"I was wondering when you were going to get the guts to ask about Hyde." Donna giggled.

"He's fucking driving me insane." Eric tried to lower his voice but it was hard not to show his anger.

"Yes. Steven. Hyde. Pain. In. The. Ass. Moving on. What do you want to know."

"What's going on with him?" Eric asked.

"Can you be more specific?" Donna questioned.

"He won't talk to me. He won't look me in the eye. He acts like we were never friends. Tonight I found some chick in his room and you know they were getting high and probably having sex."

"You walked in on them?"

"Well no but I saw her come out of his room and as soon as he saw me sitting on the steps he took off."

"What did she look like?" Donna asked. Hyde hadn't been with anyone since the stripper. She was sure he wasn't going to be with anyone now that Eric was home. He was rude and an asshole sometimes but he wasn't heartless. If he could wait years for Eric he wasn't going to ruin that with a one night stand.

"Does it matter?" Eric questioned. "Are you getting off on this or something."

"Seriously Eric. Pay attention. WHAT DID SHE LOOK LIKE?" Donna listened but got no response. "A blond Jackie. Giggling and annoyingly girlie?" Donna asked. There was silence. "I'm guessing I was right. Dumbass that's Hyde's little sister."

"Little sister?" Eric was confused.

"Yeah. His dad had kids also." Donna laughed.

"An older sister but this was not Angie and she was not half black." Eric retorted.

"Ahh but she is. She takes after her mother who is actually white. Apparently Hyde's dad likes the white women. Go figure. Anyway yeah that's his little sister Stephie."

"Are you sure?" Eric didn't want to believe her. He felt like an idiot.

"Yeah she probably got out of school and came over to hang out with him as usual. She is a bit of a stoner herself. "Donna laughed. Boy drama was so cute sometimes.

She fucking hates me  
trust  
she fucking hates me  
la la la love  
I tried too hard  
and she tore my feelings like I had none  
and ripped them away

"He said there was nothing between us but friendship." Eric felt like crying.

"Hell I would too if you just up and left me. You moved to another country without even talking to him first. You were so convinced that everything would go wrong. People would hate you and it would make life harder if you stayed but you never even considered what he wanted. He was your best friend. You were in love with your best friend Eric and you moved away like it was nothing. What is he suppose to do? Act like everything is the way it was before. Ten years is a long time to wait Eric. It's not just going to fall back into place. You hurt him more than you will ever realize."

"You don't understand."

"I don't. My roommate is gay. I have pretty boys in and out of my apartment all the time. Do people accept them? Not all the time. Fez is one of my best friends Eric. Yeah his life is hard but at least he didn't run away from it and hurt the one person who loved him more than life itself. You were all that Hyde had and you left him. There is no way in hell he is going to just jump back into your arms and say it's okay." Donna was talking so fast and she was so furious he could hardly understand her. "Even if he wanted to, Hyde has never been that way. He has gotten better with forgiving things and trusting but you broke that trust when you left. You broke him. It's going to take work to win him back. If you even can."

"So he does hate me."

"No you dumbass. He loves you but he can't go there right now. He can't get hurt again. He can't lose his world again. You are going to have to have to deal with that or run away again."

"I didn't run away."

"Yes you did and maybe it was the right thing to do. I don't know. I'm not in your situation but you have got to see where he is coming from. Don't lie to yourself or him about that. You were scared. You couldn't handle it. You couldn't handle Kitty and Red's reaction. It wasn't just about protecting Hyde."

Eric didn't know what to say. He just stared at his wall.

"I know you have a lot to think about now and I'm exhausted. I need sleep and so do you. Call me tomorrow." Donna yawned. "I love you Eric but don't be an asshole." She hung up the phone.

Well, that hadn't helped, Eric thought as he hung up the phone. Did he run away? Was he protecting himself more than Hyde? He laid in bed trying to sleep for hours. He couldn't. He had to do something. After pacing in his room for 15 minutes which seemed like an hour finally he went downstairs. Comfort food would help. There was nothing in the frig looked appealing. He heard something coming from the basement. Without even thinking he went down there.

Hyde was sitting on the couch watching Saturday night live. He was alone and all the lights were off. Years ago that would have been Eric's perfect way to spend Saturday but now it just hurt. "You were his world and you took that away." Ran through his head. Donna sure got her point across. He didn't even ask Hyde what he wanted. He was selfish. Eric walked down the stairs softly. Hyde didn't seem to notice or didn't acknowledge him. He sat down on the couch beside him.

Hyde took a deep breath but continued watching tv.

"I'm sorry." Eric said staring at the tv.

"For what?" Hyde asked not even glancing his way.

"For running away." Eric was close to tears.

"Ok." Hyde wasn't about to say anything more. It would break him and he would go back on everything he was trying to accomplish.

"It's not okay but it doesn't matter. I'm the one who created the way we are now and so I need to deal with it but I want you to know I am sorry. I get it now."

"You get what now?" Hyde still wouldn't look at him but now Eric couldn't take his eyes off of Hyde.

"I was selfish. I screwed up. I have no right to expect anything to be the same or you to even acknowledge me. I still love you but I have no right too." Eric wiped a tear from his eye and stood up.

"Sit down Forman. This is your favorite show too." Hyde finally said after a few minutes.

Eric sat back down on the couch. He couldn't concentrate on the TV though but something was keeping him there. He had no idea what though.

**Authors Note: ** _Lyrics for this songfic is from She Hates Me by Puddle of Mudd. I was listening to it when the idea came to me._


End file.
